Giant spider roaming a forest, by an unknown artist (Image found on Wikipedia)

There is an account of a mysterious creature sighted in America during the 19th century by a lumberjack, which came to be known as "Old Spider Legs".As the lumberjack was travelling through the forest, he heard a quick and numerous galloping noise, he then got a clear sight of horse that had eight legs positioned like a spider’s legs, he got on his horse and chased after the beast but he could not keep up and lost sight of it. Many have heard it since, but none have seen it again. Skeptics say it might have possibly been a regular wild horse that had a twin that did not develop fully, got its extra appendages, which, in this case, were positioned like a spiders, and it learned to use these to its advantage of running faster.Or it could be Aragogue. Or Ungoliant. You never know, right?

A disordered-hyperuniformity scheme Photo credit: Joseph Corbo and Timothy Lau, Washington University in St. Louis (Image found on I Fucking Love Science)

If you were a new state of matter, where would you be? If you said in the retina of chickens, you're right! The retina of the eye is home to rods and a variety of cones, which help the brain perceive color. When studying the retina of the chicken, researchers found that the five different types of cones are arranged in what is known as “disordered hyperuniformity” and has never before been seen in biology until now. The research was co-led by Salvatore Torquato and Joseph Corbo and was published in Physical Review E. When a small section of the pattern is viewed, the position of the individual components (in this case, the different types of cones) appears to be random. On the large scale, there appears to be more some order to the perceived madness. This hyperuniform state of matter has been seen before in plasmas and liquid helium (which occurs at -269 degrees C, -450 degrees F) and allows the substance to act both as a crystal and a liquid. Because the different types of cones are different sizes, this arrangement allows the retina to take on the crystal-like ability of maintaining the density throughout. However, all of the cones also have the same physical properties, just like a liquid. Chickens and other birds depend on acute eyesight, which is aided by their five types of photoreceptive cells that are densely packed into the retina. It is speculated that this ordered arrangement lends to the integrity of the retina while allowing them to perceive light and colors evenly. Each type of cone has a set pattern that, when viewed individually, appears pretty obvious. When all of the patterns are put together, it has a very complicated order that is described as a “uniform disarray.” Each cone appears to have a zone around it which helps space out cones of the same type. This is a multi-hyperuniformity that has not been seen before, and the researchers believe it calls for a new state of matter to be used to describe it. Beyond just being a neat fact about avian vision, disordered hyperuniformity is used to develop optical circuits which operate or restrict based on certain wavelengths. Now that this type of patterning has been found in a biological system, the field may be expanded in future research. Researchers hope that other scientists will go back and reexamine old data to determine if there are more instances of disordered hyperuniformity that may have gone unnoticed.

Scientists claim that Australia was once inhabited by 2m tall carniverous kangaroos, but all living species are considered herbivores. However, reports of scavenging surface from time to time, and as this footage shows, once they start, some kangaroos are not keen to stop, even when interrupted. So much for their typical vegan dinner!

Here's something furry and flufly to brighten your thursday!The quokka (Setonix brachyurus), the only member of the genus Setonix, known in his natal country Australia as the Kangaroo Rat, is a small macropod about the size of a domestic cat. Like other marsupials in the macropod family (such as the kangaroos and wallabies), the quokka is herbivorous and mainly nocturnal. It can be found on some smaller islands off the coast of Western Australia, in particular on Rottnest Island just off Perth and Bald Island near Albany. A small mainland colony exists in the protected area of Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, where they co-exist with Gilbert's potoroo. It weighs 2.5 to 5 kilograms and is 40 to 90 centimetres long with a 25 to 30 centimetres (9.8 to 12 in)-long tail, which is fairly short for a macropod. It has a stocky build, rounded ears, and a short, broad head. Although looking rather like a very small kangaroo, it can climb small trees and shrubs. Its coarse fur is a grizzled brown colour, fading to buff underneath. The quokka has no fear of humans and it is common for it to approach them closely, particularly on Rottnest Island. It is, however, illegal for members of the public on Rottnest Island to handle the animals in any way. Which is kind of lame, I mean, look at how cute they can be! In the wild, its roaming is restricted to a very small range in the South-West of Western Australia, with a number of small scattered populations on the mainland, one large population on Rottnest Island and a smaller population on Bald Island near Albany. On Rottnest, quokkas are common and occupy a variety of habitats ranging from semi-arid scrub to cultivated gardens._ Although numerous on the small offshore islands, it has a very restricted range and is classified as vulnerable. On the mainland, where it is threatened by most introduced predatory species such as foxes, it requires dense ground cover for refuge. Clearfell logging and agricultural development has reduced this habitat, thus contributing to the decline of the species. The introduction of cats and dogs, as well as dingoes, has added to the problem, as has the clearing and burning of the remaining (swamp) lands. Moreover, Quokkas usually have a litter size of one and successfully rear one young each year. Although these animals are constantly mating, usually one day after their young is born, the small litter size paired with the restricted space and threatening predators contribute to the scarcity of these marsupials on the mainland.

Such a smart little piece of bacon... Ok, that was SO MEAN! (Image found on Google)

I knew Babe and his pals could learn a trick or two, but to know that researchers compare pigs' intellect to be on the same level as dolphins and higher apes... Well, I didn't see that one coming. Part of this intellect, they say, might be because large chunks of pig genome are virtually identical to humans, though our last common ancestor died out 100 million years ago. Pigs love to become couch potatoes and would rather eat, drink, smoke, and watch TV than be active. Man, I totally know many pig-people. In a study, when introduced to a mirror, the animals were initially fascinated by the pig in the reflection and tried to interact by nudging and vocalizing. While they could see food in the mirror, they tried looking behind the mirror only to end up hungry. Poor things. The next time the mirror was presented, they were not interested in their own image, but instead used the reflection to find the bowl of food behind them in under 30 seconds. Ha! Pigs can also be trained to learn tricks fairly easily, as I said before. However, if at first they don’t succeed, getting the courage to try again is a long process, especially if the pig got hurt in the attempt. Researchers speculate that the memory of the failure is a big hurdle to overcome for many pigs. Humans too, they might add. Failures in training and living conditions can affect a pig's mood, as the animals are capable of having and expressing complex emotions. Who knew, right?!

Turns out that the whole "cat vs dog" story is just a human invention. They don't necessarilly hate each other or attack one another in nature - you'll never see a wolf going after a lion (since the first would be easily surpassed by the second in the run) or a leopard including wild dogs in their menu (because the dogs travel in packs to defend themselves). What happens is that dogs, as any predator, pursue smaller animals whenever they see them. The confrontation with cats is more common because, in an urban environment, their encounters are frequent. Different species usually keep their distance from each other, but when they compete for space or attention, things go worse, as it is in the case of houses with cats and dogs. But keep in mind that cats ARE trying to take over the world next time your fluffy one plays with you.

How I wish it could be true! A team of researchers led by Melba Ketchum, a Texas veterinarian, claimed to conclusively prove the existence of Bigfoot through genetic testing last year. Ketchum sayd the mysterious monsters were half-human hybrids. The claims had circulated for several years, but Ketchum did not publish her study until February of 2013 - though "publish" is not quite the word for it. Instead, because reputable scientific journals rejected her research, Ketchum decided to create her own online publication, the DeNovo Scientific Journal, and publish her findings there.Unfortunately the study was badly flawed, including a fake April Fool's citation in its references. Iaiks. Scientists and geneticists who examined her claims found it riddled with errors, tainted evidence and incorrect conclusions. Undeterred by the scientific rejection of her work, Ketchum still continues her fight to obtain legal status for Bigfoot. She says the elusive creatures are an undiscovered Native American population. I don't necessarily approve her scientific methods, but hope she's right!

The Jersey Devil, as portraied in the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, in January 1909 (Image found on Google)

The Jersey Devil is a legendary creature or cryptid said to inhabit the Pine Barrens of Southern New Jersey, United States. It is often described as a flying biped with hooves, but there are many different variations. The common description is that of a kangaroo-like creature with the head of a goat, leathery bat-like wings, horns, small arms with clawed hands, cloven hooves and a forked tail. Oh my! It has been reported to move quickly and often is described as emitting a "blood-curdling scream".There are many possible origins of the Jersey Devil legend. The earliest legends date back to Native American folklore. The Lenni Lenape tribes called the area around Pine Barrens "Popuessing", meaning "place of the dragon". Swedish explorers later named it "Drake Kill", "drake" being a word for dragon, and "kill" meaning channel or arm of the sea (river, stream, etc.) in Dutch. The common accepted origin of the story, as far as New Jerseyans are concerned, however, started with Mother Leeds and is as follows: "It was said that Mother Leeds had 12 children and, after finding she was pregnant for the 13th time, stated that this one would be the Devil. In 1735, Mother Leeds was in labor on a stormy night. Gathered around her were her friends. Mother Leeds was supposedly a witch and the child's father was the Devil himself. The child was born normal, but then changed form. It changed from a normal baby to a creature with hooves, a goat's head, bat wings and a forked tail. It growled and screamed, then killed the midwife before flying up the chimney. It circled the villages and headed toward the pines. In 1740 a clergy exorcised the demon for 100 years and it wasn't seen again until 1890."There have been many sightings and occurrences allegedly involving the Jersey Devil. One of them even involved Napoleon Bonaparte's elder brother, Joseph Bonaparte! He allegedly said to have witnessed the Jersey Devil while hunting on his Borden town estate around 1820. In 1840, the devil was blamed for several livestock killings. Similar attacks were reported in 1841, accompanied by tracks and screams. He appeared again in 1909 and newspapers of the time published hundreds of claimed encounters with the Jersey Devil from all over the state of New Jersey. Among alleged encounters publicized that week were claims the creature "attacked" a trolley car in Haddon Heights and a social club in Camden. Police in Camden and Bristol, Pennsylvania supposedly fired on the creature to no effect. Other reports initially concerned unidentified footprints in the snow, but soon sightings of creatures resembling the Jersey Devil were being reported throughout South Jersey and as far away as Delaware. The widespread newspaper coverage led to a panic throughout the Delaware Valley prompting a number of schools to close and workers to stay home. During this period, it is rumored that the Philadelphia Zoo posted a $10,000 reward for the creature's dung. The offer prompted a variety of hoaxes, including a kangaroo with artificial wings.Skeptics believe the Jersey Devil to be nothing more than a creative manifestation of the English settlers, Bogeyman stories created and told by bored Pine Barren residents as a form of children's entertainment, and rumors arising from negative perceptions of the local population ("pineys"). According to Brian Dunning of Skeptoid, folk tales of the Jersey Devil prior to 1909 calling it the "Leeds Devil" may have been created to discredit local politician Daniel Leeds who served as deputy to the colonial governor of New York and New Jersey in the 1700s. Folklorist Jan Harold Brunvand wrote that the spread of contemporary pop culture has overtaken traditional Jersey Devil legends. Jeff Brunner of the Humane Society of New Jersey thinks the Sandhill Crane is the basis of the Jersey Devil stories, adding, "There are no photographs, no bones, no hard evidence whatsoever, and worst of all, no explanation of its origins that doesn't require belief in the supernatural." Outdoorsman and author Tom Brown, Jr. spent several seasons living in the wilderness of the Pine Barrens. He recounts occasions when terrified hikers mistook him for the Jersey Devil, after he covered his whole body with mud to repel mosquitoes.

Science has finally proved what we, dog owners, have known since forever. Researchers from London University recruited 18 dogs and their guardians for a very simple study aiming to evaluate the behaviour of the dogs in different situations. The tests happened in the volunteers' houses: while people chat, the dogs didn't pay much attention. Six dogs were slightly interested when the researcher or the owner started to sing. But, when one of the two persons cried, 83% of the dogs approached with their head down and their tail between the legs. According to the research, this submissive behaviour may be a sign of empathy. The scientists believe that it can be a way to offer comfort to people. Oh dogs, could you be cuter?